One Year of Helping Hands: A Candlelit Evening of Music, Memory, and Meaning
On Saturday, May 17, 2025, we marked a powerful milestone — one full year of our mission at Helping Hands for Ukraine. To celebrate, reflect, and recommit, we gathered for a deeply moving Anniversary Charity Concert at the Forte Piano Recital Hall in Paramus, NJ.
This was no ordinary concert. As the lights dimmed and the hall glowed softly with candlelight, the music took on a sacred, almost timeless quality. There was no stage show or fanfare — just heartfelt performances, quiet reflection, and a room united by purpose and compassion.
🎶 The Music
Four remarkable musicians guided us through the evening:
Dmytro Korinenko, whose soulful voice and guitar work filled the space with raw emotion and love for his homeland.
Ilya Lisovets, whose masterful violin and guitar intertwined with Dmytro’s in seamless harmony, weaving together stories of resilience and hope.
Leonid Gelman brought grace and depth on piano, his playing illuminating each piece like another candle in the dark.
And Ronald Chrome, on cajón, gave the night its subtle heartbeat — steady, grounding, and quietly powerful.
Together, they created a soundscape that was both intimate and transcendent — a musical tribute not only to the people of Ukraine, but to the power of community in the face of war.
💛 The Impact
Though the evening was soft-spoken, its impact was bold: thanks to your generosity — and the incredible sponsorship of Greenberg Traurig LLP — we raised $8,400, enough to send over 350 American-made tourniquets to Ukrainian medics.
These are not just numbers — each tourniquet has the potential to save a limb, or a life. Your support quite literally gives people a second chance.
And this is just the beginning.
In one year, Helping Hands for Ukraine has:
Raised $170,000
Spent 97.5% directly on emergency aid
Delivered medical supplies to hospitals, medics, and frontline defenders
Helped save thousands of lives
🕯 A Night to Remember
This concert was unlike any we’ve hosted before — quieter, more contemplative, and lit only by candles and the music itself. It reminded us why we do this work, and who we do it for. It reminded us that even in darkness, we are never alone — and that beauty and kindness can still shine through.
To everyone who joined us, supported us, and stood with Ukraine — thank you. You made this night unforgettable.
Slava Ukraini. 💙💛
1 year anniversary of Helping Hands · May 16 – Jun 9, 2025 📸
